Greenland tours & travel

For centuries, Greenland has been out of bounds to all but the sturdiest Inuit communities. Today, the island’s natural might still keeps human advances at bay.

Greenland has always captivated the imaginations of explorers. The wonder of imposing fjords calls them to this land, where cascading glaciers and electric blue icebergs drift like looming spirits. The native Inuits too play a part in the island’s intrigue, whispering the secrets of survival between their furs. And to this day, it’s the majesty of nature that still reels travellers in.

Greenland travel highlights

Go whale-watching in Denmark Strait

If you haven’t yet spotted polar bears or walruses on the bay, cruising through these waters should give you a glimpse of a whale or two.

Greenland holiday information

Greenland facts

Greenland facts

Local culture of Greenland

Local culture of Greenland

Greenland’s tiny and low-density population is made up mostly of native Inuits. The minority of the country are Danish migrants from Europe. Due to Europe’s firm grip on Greenland for hundreds of years, the country has a very European identity, despite the ethnic proximity of the Inuits to Native Canadians. An overwhelming majority of people are Protestant, and the original shamanistic beliefs of the Inuits have all but faded from daily life. They still however retain their original languages, with most people speaking both Greenlandic and Danish.

Geography & environment

Geography & environment

Greenland is the world’s largest island. It stretches out from the Atlantic Ocean all the way up into the Arctic Circle. Its closest neighbours are Canada, Iceland, Norway and Denmark. Close to a quarter of the island is designated as national park, ensuring the unique flora and fauna are preserved for posterity. The weight of the enormous icesheet in the centre of the island has pressed the land down to form a basin, leaving the coastal areas mountainous and craggy by comparison. The whole of Greenland’s population live along the coasts where it’s comparatively free from snow and ice.

Shopping guide to Greenland

Shopping guide to Greenland

Make the most of your Greenland holiday and bring a little piece of this foreign land back with you. Local artisanal products reflect the deep connection of the Inuits to land and sea – they depict acts of hunting and fishing, and the products are made from the animals they catch. Jewellery and trinkets are made from reindeer and muskox horns, and bags and clothes are made from muskox wool and sealskin. You can also find shamanistic figures known as tupilaks and authentic hunting knives such as the ulo.

Greenland festival calendar

Greenland festival calendar

Christmas

Greenlanders celebrate perhaps the whitest Christmas in all of Europe. The locals put up pine trees and decorate their houses with stars made of fairy lights. It’s a time for family and feasting, with warming dinner and special treats such as mulled wine.

National Day

National Day is a celebration of all things Greenlandic. It’s held on the longest day of the year and involves formal ceremonies such as flag raising as well as festivities like singing, dancing and feasting. Locals also partake in sports shows like kayaking.

Food & drink in Greenland

Food & drink in Greenland

The people of Greenland traditionally subsisted on the fat-rich meat of marine mammals as well as fish and birds. Though the Inuits are no longer known as Eskimos, legend has it they were originally named so for their diet of raw meat. Today, Greenland’s culinary delights are still based on these exotic creatures of this northernmost island. The national dish is a soup known as suaasat, which is made form the meat of seal, reindeer, whale or sea birds. And the European influence on Greenlandic cuisine is evident in the locals’ taste for beer and coffee.

Further reading

Further reading

Last places – A journey in the north by Lawrence Millman

This cold heaven: Seven seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich

The fate of Greenland: Lessons from abrupt climate change by Philip Conkling

Drinking tap water is not considered safe in Greenland. For environmental reasons, avoid buying bottled water and bring a bottle or canteen with you. Ask your leader where you can access filters to refill your supply, or carry your own purification tablets with you.

You can use your credit card at major hotels, restaurants and shopping centres and can use your card to get cash from supermarkets. Don’t rely on credit cards when travelling to more remote villages where technology can be unpredictable.